Digital Commons Network^™

Tools For Collective Thought: Augmenting Collaborative Sensemaking, Jacob Zimmerman

Pomona Senior Theses

As some pioneers of personal computing argue, we have yet to reach the potential that computing offers to enhance our cognition. Some modern scholars of tools for thought give a prerogative to develop transformative tools for thought (Matuschak & Nielsen, 2019), recognizing that the tools we may use enable new thought patterns and thus new cognitive abilities. As cognition is mediated both by our tools and by the minds of others, I evaluate the current state of literature on tools built to support collaborative sensemaking, a domain of collective cognition characterized by various interdependent cognitive processes. To apply and test …

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind: An Exploration Of Wastewater Issues And Possible Solutions In And Out Of Montana, Keely I. Larson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Larson, Keely, M.A., Spring 2023

Major:Environmental and Natural Resources Journalism

Out of sight, out of mind: An exploration of wastewater issues and possible solutions in and out of Montana

Chairperson: Dennis Swibold

Co-Chairpersons: Nadia White, Sarah Halvorson

This is a master’s project, featuring three stories, linked in theme. The first starts with a nationally scoped story about septic systems in resort towns and what happens when too many people want to visit areas like Cape Cod, the Florida Keys or, more locally, Seeley Lake, and overwhelm waste disposal methods. Often in these areas that are more remote, septic systems …

Impacts Of Eating Disorder Recovery On Communication Of Identity Through Food, Rosemary Willett Jeter

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Using the Communication Theory of Identity as a framework, the purpose of this thesis was to investigate how the experience of eating disorder recovery (EDR) impacts one’s communication of identity through and about food, and perceptions of others’ communication about and through food. Purposive sampling yielded 20 adult participants who self-identified as having been in EDR for at least one year. Results from a phronetic iterative data analysis of semi-structured interviews yielded several themes. When considering how EDR influences personal communication through food, main themes include: (a) the inability to share meals creates a gap between the enacted and relational …

Navigating Toxic Identities Within League Of Legends, Jeremy Thomas Miner

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Toxicity is an inevitable part of online gaming for many individuals that participate in the activity. How individuals navigate this behavior affects not only the community but the players themselves. In essence, online world environments affect the identity of the individual within them. The magic circle separates the gaming world and the real world into two separate and distinct places, however crystalized selves posits that the identity of an individual in one sphere is part of the individual in another. Understanding the connection between these two ideas gives rise to the question of whether or not toxic behaviors in a …

影視業勞工狀況中期研究報告2023, 嶺南大學政策研究院, 嶺南大學文化研究及發展中心, 嶺南大學「青年貧窮與就業」研究團隊, 鄧立賢, 蔡美琦, 楊皓鋮, 梁仕池, 潘毅

CCRD Research Report

文化及創意產業是近年香港政府重點發展的產業，銳意將香港打造成「中外文化藝術交流中心」。然而文化及創意產業行內的運作模式、勞動條件和文化卻鮮有被研究。近期，業內發生了幾宗轟動的工業意外，備受社會關注。此外，媒體不時報導從業員被「拖糧」、長時間超時工作、行業前景受限等，反映需要深入研究創意產業勞工的工作狀態。在眾多的創意產業行業中，影視業的從業員人數較多，每年亦有大量畢業生投入市場，因此本研究報告集中討論影視行業的狀況。我們在今年四月至八月透過訪談接觸了30位從業員，訪問他們的入行經歷、勞動狀態、待遇等問題。另外在六月至八月，我們利用問卷調查了123名從業員，主要收集他們的接案協議及酬勞、工時及勞動強度、職業安全等數據。

研究發現

外判制度導致影視業工作普遍零散化、延遲支付酬勞（即「拖糧」）情況常見。問卷顯示，有42.3%回覆者表示在現時或上一份工作，開工前僅前有口頭或訊息協議，14.6%回覆者則在開工前沒有任何形式的協議。影視業的外判制度其來有自，經歷九十年代港產製作大幅萎縮，投資商須緊縮成本製作預算，改以承包及自由工作方式聘用勞工，導致從業員缺乏正式僱傭關係和相關勞工保障。零散化的勞動模式亦造成普遍的不合理待遇，包括「拖糧」、欠缺清晰的工作協議、內容修改和工時安排等。

影視業從業員的勞動強度普遍較高，過勞和工傷普遍，但甚少有適當處理。超過六成回覆者表示「頗多」或「經常」連續兩天工作12小時以上；76.4%回覆者表示試過或目睹工傷，不過，只有11.7%回覆者表示有向勞工處呈報工傷。

政策倡議

訂立從業員基本待遇守則。影視業應制訂標準合約以保障從業員的基本權益，包括明確的酬勞支付方式、日期、付款分期，以及具體的休息時間規定。在盡量減低各持份者的行政成本下，標準合約讓自由工作者享有合理保障。行業亦應規範每組拍攝之間的最短休息時間及每週休息日。政府應負起帶頭責任，規定受資助團體或個人必須以不亞於行業標準合約的待遇聘請製作人員。

訂立工業安全指引。業界組織、勞工團體和勞工處應盡快共同制定工業安全指引。勞工處應研究拍攝場地的安全隱患，參考現行法例和工作守則，製作適用的宣傳材料和訓練課程。確立工作守則後，勞工處可研究不同執法的可行性，例如要求呈報拍攝現場、巡查、鼓勵舉報不安全的拍攝環境等。勞工處應審視勞工法例，研究同時保障僱員、日薪從業員、自由工作者的工傷補償。另外，勞工處應積極研究將中暑和過勞納入工傷保障範圍。

政府須完善對影視業的資助。政府應完善電影發展資助階梯，並鼓勵影視製作人擴展到不同平台，開拓市場。同時須增加畢業生支援，並聯同業界和學界，研究影視製作的區域分工及香港影視界的比較優勢，並按此推行相關的教育、人才培訓和資助計劃，使香港影視業能在區域分工中突圍而出。

Boycotting Vs. Canceling: Exploring Consumer Activism Against Corporations, Erica Buchman

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to establish the difference between boycotting and canceling a corporation and what compels consumers to act. Consumer activism attempts to hold companies to account when a line, be it arbitrary or rational, is crossed, and these attempts are not always successful. However, when enough social pressure is exerted on a company via boycotting, depending on the wrongful act committed, accountability and change can be possible. I want to determine what some of the factors are that could compel customers to engage in consumer activism or boycott against a corporation and whether a corporation that …

Journal Of The Association For Communication Administration: Complete Volume 40

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the complete volume of JACA Volume 40.

Investigating Mental Illness Perception On Social Media And The Propensity To Self-Diagnose, Camille R. Omega

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The perception of mental illness has often been studied in traditional face-to-face settings, but the research on its perception in an online setting has been growing recently. Social media platforms have allowed for important conversations regarding mental health to gain popularity and led to the formation of communities where users can share their personal experiences. It has also given professionals the opportunity to educate others on various mental health topics and answer specific questions their audience may have. From these posts and forums, users who are concerned with their mental health can be given the guidance to achieve proper assistance …

Examining Patient-Physician Communication As A Form Of Mutual Persuasion Using The Conversational Argument Coding Scheme, Pritam Kanthala

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Communication between the patient and the physician in clinical encounters has traditionally been considered a passive interaction on the side of the patient, whereby the healthcare provider examines the patient's condition and circumstances, evaluates the situation, and prescribes a certain treatment plan or procedural solution that will heal the patient's ailment. However, recent research and fundamental communications understanding strongly emphasizes that effective communication is a two-way endeavor that ideally should involve input and insight from both sides of the conversation. Treating all clinical interactions as a one-way didactic experience where a provider usually goes through a checklist of commonalities would …

Personality And Social Media Use, Joshua Pearson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study seeks to examine the connection between social media usage and the Enneagram personality model. This connection will aid in a better understanding of what motivates individuals to use social media. The information found in this study will be applied to understanding behavioral addiction. This understanding will allow more personalized treatment for individuals already subject to these behaviors and preventive treatment for those more susceptible to behavioral addiction to social media. In order to find the connection between social media use and the Enneagram personality model, a survey including an Enneagram personality inventory, a social media use inventory, and …

Bilingual Switch Cost Effect On Language Processing, Ancuta Rader

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Recent reports suggest that over half of the world's population regularly uses two or more languages (or dialects) in their daily lives. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 21.6% of the population communicates in a language other than English within their homes. Thus, it is essential to methodically investigate how language processing and learning vary between monolingual and bilingual individuals. To date, research on the effects of bilingualism on language processing has been inconsistent or conflicting. The present study was designed to empirically examine if bilingual speakers differ in language processing and comprehension compared to their monolingual counterparts. It was hypothesized …

Post, Share, Like: The Role Of Facebook In The Russo-Ukrainian War, Hannah Michelle Snyder

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Facebook is being used by both Russia and Ukraine as a tool of war, for very different purposes. This demonstrates that the platform no longer serves the sole function of connecting communities together. Existing literature has recognized that social media is being used in the current Russo-Ukrainian war but has yet to conduct comparative and contrastive analyses of Russian and Ukrainian social media strategies and effects. Conducting these analyses will illustrate not only what strategies are being used, but how they can be simultaneously advantageous and disadvantageous for belligerents. By focusing on one platform, Facebook, one can not only learn …

The Study Of Crisis Narratives Over Time: Mayfield, Ky In The Aftermath Of The 2021 Tornadoes, Rebecca Freihaut

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study was a year-long longitudinal qualitative research project using the case study of Mayfield, KY after the catastrophic tornado event that impacted their community on December 10, 2021. Oral histories were collected from 18 participants who lived in or were closely connected to Mayfield at the six month and 1.5 year marks after the disaster. Later, after the oral histories were archived and made available to the public, the transcripts were used to extract the crisis narratives from the oral histories and the data was thematically analyzed using the existing theory and theoretical framework of Narratives of Crisis: Telling …

Jour 3526: Multimedia Storytelling (Syllabus), Robby Byrd

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Introduction to the basic elements of multimedia journalistic storytelling. Students will produce news-driven multimedia packages for various storytelling platforms, including photography, audio, video, and data visualization.

Jrsm 1750: Media Writing L (Syllabus), Casey Hilder

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Introduction to grammar and writing style for use in journalism and mass communication media; foundations of research and information gathering, media literacy and plagiarism.

Pbrl 4440: Public Relations Campaign (Syllabus), Tori M. Cliff

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Application of theory, research data, and problem-solving techniques in the development of a comprehensive public relations plan book.

Jour 4185: Social Justice Writing/Report (Syllabus), Laura Faith Kebede

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Writing and reporting news and news feature stories on issues concerning social justice.

Jrsm 2121: Media Writing Ll (Syllabus), Joe Hayden

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Basic instruction in journalistic forms and AP style; information gathering and composition of news stories; media literacy.

Jrsm 4930: Media Internship (Syllabus), Michael Robinson

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Work in practical assignments at local media and other communication organizations under supervision of qualified practitioners.

Pbrl 3421: Intro Public Relations Writing (Syllabus), Sheri D. Neely

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Development, scope, and modern role of public relations; emphasis on problem solving, lectures, and application of major public relations tools and practices.

Jrsm 7990: Media Portfolio (Syllabus), Thomas J. Hrach

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Development of digital portfolio of professional and/or academic work and presentation. S/U. (2 hours)

Jrsm 3900: Visual Media (Syllabus), Michael Robinson

Journalism and Strategic Media Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Introduction to and application of principles of visual communication, including typography, color and organization for print and digital media using Adobe Creative Cloud.

National Assessment Program: Ict Literacy 2022: Technical Report, Dominique Hall, Kate O'Malley, Renee Kwong, Emma Camus, Tim Friedman, Kristy Osborne, Zachary Watts, Dulce Lay

ICT - Digital Literacy

This report describes the various technical, operational and administrative procedures of the NAP– ICT Literacy 2022 assessment. It should be read in conjunction with the NAP–ICT Literacy 2022 Public Report, which presents a summary of the cognitive and contextual analysis of the data collected in the 2022 cycle. The assessment instrument used in NAP–ICT Literacy 2022 was based on the design principles established for NAP–ICT Literacy 2005, which continued through the assessment cycles in 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2017. The assessment was computer-based and included a broad range of task formats including multiple-choice, short text response, and simulated and authentic …

Understanding Parents’ Sense-Making Of Their Role In Adolescent Daughters’ Social Media Use Through The Lens Of Relational Dialectics Theory 2.0, Aimee Miller-Ott, Lynne Kelly, Samantha Schultz

Faculty Publications - Communications

With the development of social media, parents must figure out how to guide their children’s use or even whether to allow it. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 30 parents of daughters aged 12–18. Relational dialectics theory 2.0 was used to analyze how parents’ talk revealed their sense-making of their role in adolescent daughters’ social media use. Analysis revealed that parents voiced competing discourses pertaining to “bad” versus “good” parents and monitoring versus trusting daughters. Discourses that take place at the distal level compete with those at the proximal site of the utterance chain, challenging parents to engage in …

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 24 2023, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Professional Staffing Small Business Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee, Gwendolyn L. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business owners need help reducing voluntary employee turnover, often putting the business at risk for performance failure. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies professional staffing small business owners used to decrease voluntary employee turnover. The participants were five professional staffing small business leaders in the Washington, D.C., area with successful strategies to retain talented employees. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Yin’s five-step process. Three themes emerged: (a) employee recognition, (b) communication, and (c) advancement and training. A key recommendation for small business owners …

Portrayals Of Family Resilience In Webcomics During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Thematic Analysis, Claire Catherine Heaney

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

Families and couples were challenged with stresses unlike any other as individuals faced adversities from lockdowns, as well as fears derived from the coronavirus. During the pandemic, trends of webcomics became more popular, particularly comics that depicted characters in romantic relationships dealing with “the new normal.” In this project, I suggest that social media webcomics incorporated topics of coping. The purpose of this study was to examine webcomics that documented daily life situations during lockdowns and stress-buffering skills found in couples’ interactions when dealing with concerns. Utilizing Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis, 585 romantic relationship webcomics posted from March …

Right Turn At Reality: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Right Wing Negotiations On Race And Masculinity In Online Spaces, Andrew R.J. Hart

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The effects of right wing politically charged violence are more visible now than at any other point in recent American history. The Internet, and social media more specifically, has become a crucial nexus point in the dissemination of decentralized Alt-Right propaganda. The visual nature of social media has increased the importance of images a means of communication. Through this thesis, I analyze artifacts coming out of these spaces representing a conversation between creators and audiences, and how they work dialogically to introduce and reify symbols of white masculine supremacy within this subgroup. Through this process, I find multiple recurring patterns …

Fostering Infant And Toddler Music Competence At The Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center, Ellen Mathews, Laura Herold, Shelley Mcnally, Donia Timby

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This paper presents a creative research project that introduced musical instruments in an outdoor setting to infants and toddlers ages 0-to-3 years old. It was grounded in research suggesting that music plays a vital component in expanding development in the early childhood years, helping to promote learning across many domains. This project began with a survey distributed to 7 infant and toddler classroom educators, after which responses were analyzed for themes regarding perceived infant interests. Subsequent observations were conducted to evaluate the best fit for the implementation of an outdoor experiential music space. Based on the findings, a developmentally appropriate …

The Fashioning Of Individual And Group Identities In The Thrifttok Community, Kathryn Andronowitz

Holster Scholar Projects

In the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown, a noticeable surge of videos focused on thrifted clothing appeared on the social media platform TikTok, coinciding with an increase in offline thrift store traffic. Individual contributors to these trends comprise a networked community of popular creators and lifestyle followers of these thrifting videos on TikTok, or “ThriftTok,” based on the commonly-used hashtag of the same name. The ThriftTok community is not monolithic. Its productions encompass a spectrum of videos ranging from flea market explorations and goth-style thrifted fashion, to reselling tips and “thrift with me” videos. Its participants range from indie band …